The Super Bowl has evolved from a
football championship game to an annual popular culture event. Even
people who aren’t sports fans host Super Bowl parties and watch for the
big-budget halftime performances (this year it’s Bruno Mars and Red Hot
Chili Peppers) and some of the most entertaining commercials of the
year. So it only makes sense that there’s now a variety of programming
leading up to Super Bowl XLVII (6:25 p.m. Sunday, Fox) and, like the big
game itself, there’s a little something for everyone.

SNL Sports Spectacular (9 p.m. Thursday, NBC) – Seth Meyers hosts this tribute to all the sports-themed sketches on Saturday Night Live over the years, from Olympic parodies to “Da Bears.”

Parks and Recreation (8:30
p.m., NBC) -– Keep some tissues handy — Leslie and the whole Pawnee crew
say goodbye to Ann and Chris as Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe star in
their final episode as series regulars. Hopefully the characters will
live on via Skype sessions or special trips back to Pawnee. And I’m
expecting baby pictures after the arrival of little Traeger — who I’m
guessing will be literally the cutest baby of all time.

SATURDAY FEB. 1

Girls (10 p.m., HBO) -–
Hannah and friends get an early premiere day due to the Super Bowl. At
David’s funeral, Hannah learns surprising information about her late
editor, including the fate of her e-book. Elsewhere, an unlikely
coupling results in a surprising Girls hookup.

Sherlock (Season Finale, 10
p.m., PBS) – I know Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch are busy
guys, but couldn’t they film a season with more than three episodes? In
this third season finale, Sherlock and Watson tango with a new villain,
“the Napoleon of blackmail,” who knows the secrets and weaknesses of
many of the world’s most powerful people.

New Girl (10:30 p.m., Fox) – The one and only Prince makes his anticipated appearance on this special post-Super Bowl episode.